The present invention relates to the general field of water recreational vehicles and is particularly concerned with a foot operated water vehicle.
With the advent of the so-called leisure society and a concurrent trend towards health beneficial recreational exercises, many individuals are looking for new and exciting recreational outdoor activities.
Water related recreational activities are particularly popular. Human powered water-born vehicles have been around for many years. They seem to have shown a relatively slow evolutional pattern. The evolution of the technology of human-powered water-born vehicles seems to have been determined, at least in part, by the most economic use of materials. The rowing stroke required to propel or steer a floating device such as a typical rowboat was to develop pivot points on which a pair of oars could rest. Once this was accomplished, the operator would face the rear of the boat, lift the oars out of the water, then deposit the flat surfaces of the oars into the water. The arms and braced legs would exert force to pull the oar blades back, while the pressure against the oar surfaces would create forward movement of the boat.
This could only be accomplished if the rowing oars where maintained in position by oar locks. Conventional rowing was limited to energy exerted mostly by upper body through arm movement and also sometimes by lower body movement through the braced leverage of the legs.
Another method of achieving similar forward motion of a floating vessel is often referred to as the paddling technique. In the paddling technique, the paddler faces forward and no pivot point is required to obtain the results. The energy developed by the user of a conventional canoe paddle comes almost exclusively from upper body strength and is not effective in other vessel designs.
Another technique of propelling a small craft using human power is the so-called pedal- or paddle-boat. The pedal-boat typically utilizes a bicycle crank which engages a paddle-wheel or propeller thorough a series of mechanical linkages. The conventional paddle-boats are typically propelled by continuously rotating the paddle wheels. Commonly, such crafts are pontoon-based with seats that allow the user to sit high above the water. In general, they are noted for ponderous movement and relatively limited speed capabilities.
More recent developments included fiberglass boats of various types with transmission devices allowing reciprocating motion to be transformed into rotational motion by some conventional means. By improving the hydrodynamic contour of the craft, greater speed may be achieved but, to date, the limitations on speed have been such that boats that are paddled or rowed are ordinarily faster and more efficient than conventional paddle-type crafts.
In an attempt to improve on the speed deficiencies associated with conventional paddle-type foot-propelled water crafts and also to provide a more challenging and exciting type of foot-propelled water craft, numerous variations of apparatuses used for walking on water have heretofor been developed.
Typically, most conventional foot-propelled water devices used for walking on water include structures and/or floats which support a person on water in a standing position. The float structures are propelled through the water by leg movements of the operator. With such prior art devices, the floats structures are typically interconnected to allow relative movement therebetween. The float structures area typically provided with components for increasing the resistance to movement of the float in one direction of operator leg movement and decreasing the resistance to movement of the float in the opposite direction of operator leg movement in order to aid in the overall movement of the float structures.
Although prior art devices have taken many forms, they have generally proven unsatisfactory due to either complexity, difficulty of manufacture, size, cost, and other factors. Various drawbacks exist with prior art devices of this nature which are believed to have kept these devices from becoming commercially acceptable. One such problem is control, for example, as a user propels himself or herself through the water with a walking movement, there is a natural tendency for the individual floats or shoes to drift apart. Also, heretofor, the prior art floats were made large enough to support to heaviest user and thus resulted in bulky devices which were hard to transport over land.
Although the disadvantages associated with prior art leg or foot-propelled water craft allowing for propulsion in a standing position include overly complex structures, lack of reliability, lack of stability, lack of propulsion efficiency, lack of ergonomic features and so forth. Also, prior art devices are typically relatively bulky requiring large storage and transportation space. Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved feet-propelled water vehicle.
Advantages of the present invention include that the proposed feet-propelled water vehicle allows for propulsion of the vehicle by an intended user while the latter is in a standing position. Propulsion of the vehicle is effectuated by the legs of the intended user as the latter performs a simple and ergonomic weight shifting movement, or a step-like movement. The proposed vehicle allows for an efficient transformation of the user force into a propelling force for propelling the vehicle across the body of water.
Also, the proposed vehicle is specifically designed so as to provide for various size and angular adjustments in order to provide an ergonomic vehicle associated with increased pleasure during use and decreased risks of activity related injuries.
Furthermore, the proposed vehicle allows an intended user to quickly master the skills required for its operation without lengthy or difficult training. The proposed vehicle hence allows both individuals to quickly benefit from its use while providing sports enthusiasts with the possibility of customizing the vehicle so that the latter remains challenging.
Still furthermore, the proposed vehicle is specifically designed so as to be easily assembled and disassembled through a set of quick and easy steps, without requiring special tooling or manual dexterity so as to provide a vehicle which may be easily disassembled for storage or transportation and assembled at a site of usage. Also, the proposed vehicle is designed so as to be manufacturable using conventional forms of manufacturing through a set of conventional manufacturing steps so as to provide a vehicle which will be economically feasible, long-lasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.
Overall, the proposed vehicle is intended to provide an improved new and fun feet-propelled water vehicle that can be used both for leisure and transportation.
According to the present invention, there is provided a feet-propelled water vehicle for allowing an intended user having a pair of feet to travel across the surface of a body of water, each of the feet being able to transmit a user force emanating from the user, the vehicle comprises:
a buoyant body, the body defining a body first end and a generally opposed body second end;
a propelling paddle operatively coupled to the buoyant body for movement relative thereto;
the propelling paddle defining an effectuating section and a blade section, the effectuating section allowing the transformation of the user force into a paddle movement of the paddle relative to the buoyant body, the blade section allowing the transformation of the paddle movement into a vehicle propelling force for propelling the vehicle when the blade section is in contact with the body of water.
Preferably, the vehicle includes a first propelling paddle and a second propelling paddle, the first and second propelling paddles being both operatively coupled to the buoyant body for movement relative thereto;
the first and second propelling paddles each defining a corresponding effectuating section and a corresponding blade section, each of the effectuating sections allowing the transformation of the user force into a corresponding paddle movement relative to the buoyant body, each of the blade sections allowing the transformation of a corresponding paddle movement into a vehicle propelling force for propelling the vehicle across the body of water.
Preferably, each of the first and second propelling paddles is operatively coupled to the buoyant body so as to be able to move in a first paddle direction generally towards the buoyant body and in a second paddle direction generally away from the buoyant body, the vehicle further comprising an alternating means for ensuring that the first and second propelling paddles move alternatively relative to each other in opposite paddle directions.
Preferably, the alternating means further ensures that at least a portion of the user force exerted on one of the first or second propelling paddles for moving the latter in a given paddle direction is transmitted to the other propelling paddle for moving the latter in the other paddle direction.
Preferably, the first and second propelling paddles are operatively coupled to the buoyant body for pivotal movement relative thereto, each of the first and second propelling paddles being operatively coupled to the buoyant body so as to be able to pivot in a first paddle direction generally towards the buoyant body and in a second paddle direction generally away from the buoyant body;
the vehicle further comprising an alternating means for ensuring that the first and second propelling paddles pivot alternatively relative to each other in opposite paddle directions, the alternating means further ensuring that at least a portion of the user force exerted on one of the first or second propelling paddles for pivoting the latter in a given paddle direction is transmitted to the other propelling paddle for pivoting the latter in the other paddle direction.
Preferably, the alternating means includes an alternating pulley rotatably attached to the buoyant body for rotation about a pulley axis, the alternating means also including a generally elongated and flexible alternating transmission component, the alternating transmission component defining a pair of longitudinally opposed transmission component ends, each of the transmission component ends being attached to one of the propelling paddle; the transmission component being at least partially wound around the alternating pulley for guided movement relative thereto; whereby the alternating pulley rotatably guides the movement of the transmission component as the later ensures that the first and second propelling paddles pivot alternatively relative to each other in opposite paddle directions.
Preferably, the buoyant body includes a user-supporting platform, the user-supporting platform defining a generally flexible force transmitting section, the force transmitting section being able to deform under the action of the user force so as to transmit the user force to the propelling paddle.
Preferably, the buoyant body includes a generally rigid peripheral frame and a generally flexible user-supporting platform attached to the peripheral frame, the user-supporting platform being able to deform under the action of the user force so as to transmit the user force to the propelling paddle.
Preferably, the user-supporting platform defines a foot contacting region for contacting at least one of the feet and wherein the vehicle further comprises a force transmitting component positioned intermediate the propelling paddle and the user-supporting platform, the force transmitting component including a spacing section attached to the propelling paddle and a foot contacting section attached to the spacing section, the foot contacting section being configured, sized and positioned so as to be able to contact the user-supporting platform adjacent the foot contacting region, the force transmitting component maintaining at least a section of the user-supporting platform and the propelling paddle in a spaced relationship relative to each other while allowing the transmission of the user force from the user-supporting platform to the propelling paddle.
Preferably, the force transmitting component is an elongated plate, the elongated plate having a substantially semi-elliptical shape defining two opposed longitudinal ends thereof and a central apex region therebetween, the two longitudinal ends forming the spacing section and the apex region forming the foot contacting section, the force transmitting component being provided with a semi-elliptical shape adjusting means for allowing adjustment of the semi-elliptical shape of the elongated plate so as to adjust the spaced relationship between the propelling paddle and the user-supporting platform.
Preferably, the peripheral frame includes tubular members assembled together, and the user-supporting platform includes a sheet of flexible material attached to the tubular members for protecting the user from being watered by splashing water, the vehicle further comprising at least one pontoon attached to the peripheral frame.
Preferably, the pontoon is an inflatable pontoon.
Preferably, the vehicle further comprises a steering structure attached to the buoyant body, the steering structure including a rudder and a steering handle attached to the rudder.
Preferably, the blade section is releasably attached to the effectuating section.
Preferably, the vehicle is collapsible, the tubular members being releasably attached to each other, the propelling paddles being releasably attached to the buoyant body, the at least one pontoon being releasably attached to the peripheral frame and the steering structure being releasably attached to the buoyant body.